Stop Living Like The World Colossians 2:16-23 · Join the Journey

Each year on February 2nd, reporters and curious onlookers gather in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to see if a groundhog will see his own shadow—believing it somehow predicts six more weeks of winter. It’s a funny tradition. But it also shows how easily people put faith in shadows to tell them something about reality.

Years ago, when I was on staff at another church, I had a moment like that. One night as I was driving into town, I saw the office light on at the church building. I assumed someone had left it on. But when I pulled into the parking lot, it was off. I searched the building—every door was locked, every room empty. So I didn’t think much of it.

But a few weeks later, the same thing happened. I saw the light from the top of the hill, pulled in, and it was off. This time, I walked around the outside of the building and realized the light I saw was only a reflection—the newly moved sign was reflecting off the office window. What I thought was happening, wasn’t real.

I’ve laughed about that, but it’s a serious reminder: sometimes shadows deceive us. Sometimes we chase illusions and miss the truth.

Paul warns us about this very thing in Colossians 2—don’t get thrown off by the shadows. Hold onto the reality that is found in Jesus.

The Heart of Colossians

Paul has heard of the Colossians’ faith, planted in them through the Gospel, and now taking root. He wants to see them grow into maturity—rooted and built up in Jesus.

In chapter 1, Paul gives us a breathtaking view of Jesus: the image of the invisible God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Then in chapter 2, he brings it home: "You are here." The all-powerful Jesus is not distant—He is all we need. Jesus is above all else!

This morning, we’ll look at Paul’s warning to the Colossians—and to us—to Stop living like the world—and start living like the people of God..

If you have your bibles turn with me to the book of Colossians. It’s on the right side of your bibles, in the NT, comes right after Philippians and right before 1 Thessalonians.

1. Don’t Settle for Shadows

Colossians 2:16–19

There were people in the early church—likely Judaizers—who insisted that new believers had to follow the Old Testament laws even after coming to Jesus. They were combining grace and law, trying to earn or repay salvation through rule-keeping.

But the Law was never meant to save. It was meant to show us our sin—to reveal our need for grace and our inability to meet God’s standard. It pointed forward to our need for Jesus. It’s a shadow of the things to come.

As Paul says in

Romans 7:4–6

So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh, w the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

We died to the Law through the body of Jesus Christ so we could serve in the new way of the Spirit, not the old way of the written code.

We are no longer under the shadow—we’ve been raised to new life in Jesus Christ.

Yet even today, people focus on the external fruit: what to eat, drink, wear, or avoid. But they neglect what actually changes us—the gospel seed that’s planted in our hearts. We become puffed up, obsessed with secondary matters, and lose connection with the Head—Jesus.

Paul warns Timothy about this in

1 Timothy 1:3–7

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer 4 or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. 5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

False teachers often obsess with myths, genealogies, and meaningless talk. They promote controversy, not the work of God.

What matters, Paul says, is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

Ask yourself:

• Are your words and actions advancing God’s work?

• Are you devoted to God’s Word, true fellowship, communion, and prayer—or to controversial speculation and empty chatter?

Let’s not trade the reality of Jesus for a shadow.

2. Stop Living Like the World

Colossians 2:20–23

“Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules?” (v. 20)

Paul’s question is piercing. If you’ve died with Jesus, why are you still living like the world? “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” (v. 21)

Paul says these rules are self-made religion, false humility, and harsh treatment of the body—but they lack any value in restraining sin.

This is the way of the world:

• Legalism

• Prideful posturing

• Harsh judgment of others

But we don’t belong to the world anymore. We belong to Jesus. He is our Head—our Savior, Redeemer, and King. Stop living like the world and

3. Shine Like Stars

Philippians 2:14–15

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” u Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky

God wants His church to shine like stars—a radiant reflection of Jesus. But often, we fight and grumble over things that don’t matter:

• Styles of music

• Clothing

• Buildings

• Even ladders

There’s a real ladder still outside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem—left in place for hundreds of years because the different Christian groups couldn’t agree on what to do. It’s a powerful image of how we can get stuck, immobilized by pride and division.

In the 1700’s there were about 5 different groups of Christians that were fighting and bickering over this church building. This building sits over the place identified with both Jesus’ crucifixion and his burial. Now because all these different groups couldn’t decide on what should be done with the building, how changes should be made, and what group should use this part and that. They decided that they would do nothing to the building. No group would change anything!

There was a brick mason fixing one of the windows while this disagreement was happening. So the brick mason stopped working. He left his ladder, maybe he thought this was dumb and they would let him finish in a couple days. After about two weeks one group said hey we need to take this ladder down, and another group said no, we agreed that we would not change anything or do anything. So they left the ladder. To this day this ladder still stands outside this window. How very sad.

That ladder still sits outside the window today—a monument to division. Let’s not be remembered for what we refused to move, but for how we moved forward together in Jesus.

Let’s be people who die to self, serve others, and advance God’s work together. As Journey Church lets Sacrificing self and follow the example of Jesus who sacrificed self for the needy, hurting and lost. Lets put our faith into action by mobilizing to help our community and world, even when called to sacrifice and suffer to care for their needs over our own. Let’s shine like stars in this warped and crooked generation.

James tells us plainly—don’t show favoritism. Don’t judge people by what they wear or what they look like. That’s how the world thinks—not how the church of Jesus should behave.

If we care more about someone’s outfit rather than their salvation, we’re focused on shadows, not substance.

Let’s be the people of God—full of grace, truth, and unity in Jesus.

So what about you?

Where in your life are you still living in the shadows—clinging to old habits, prideful preferences, or man-made rules instead of the freedom and fullness found in Christ?

• Are there any broken relationships in your life—especially in the body of Christ—that need mending?

• Are you more concerned with being right than being Christlike?

• Have you made your preferences into principles? Judged others by their appearance, their background, or their worship style?

• Have you chased religious performance instead of staying connected to Jesus?

Here’s what this means for us today:

🛑 Stop chasing shadows—traditions, preferences, and appearances that can’t change hearts.

🙌 Start clinging to Jesus—the Head of the Church—who gives us life, direction, and unity.

💡 Shine like stars—so the world sees something different in how we love, serve, and walk in truth.

Imagine what we could be if we stopped dividing over what doesn’t matter and started uniting around what does: Jesus.

Let’s be the kind of people who:

• Lay down ladders of division, pride, and preference

• Pick up towels of service, humility, and sacrificial love

• Build bridges across lines the world says can’t be crossed

Journey Church, what kind of church will we become?

Let’s be the church that reflects Jesus so clearly that the watching world doesn’t see shadows—they see the Savior.

Let’s live like the people of God: rooted in Christ, free from empty religion, united in love, and shining with gospel light.

Let’s be the church He died to create.

Let’s not just go to church. Let’s Be the Church!

Today, examine your life:

• Are you still living like the world?

• Are there arguments or divisions in your life you need to repent of?

• Have you embraced legalism or tradition instead of Jesus?

Let’s lay down the ladders that divide us. Let’s come together as Journey Church, committed to sacrificing self to follow Jesus, serve our neighbors, and bring the Gospel to the hurting, needy, and lost. We are one body, with one Spirit, called to one hope. Let’s not divide over shadows—let’s unite around our Savior.

God has called us to more.

Invitation

If you’ve never put your faith in Jesus—never repented of your sins or met Him in baptism—you are still living in your sins.

But today can be the day you die with Jesus and are raised to new life.

If you have already given your life to Jesus, then stop living like the world—and start living for King Jesus.

Let’s move the ladders. Let’s stop chasing shadows. Let’s live in the reality of Jesus Christ.